Membranes such as fluorinated or fluorine. containing membranes used widely for the manufacture of chlorine and sodium hydroxide, have limited tear resistance even when cloth reinforced. They must reach their destination free of wrinkles or other damage, the risk, of which increases as the membrane size increases (some membranes are larger than 1.5.times.4.5 meters (m).
Some membranes are shipped flat in wooden boxes. This is awkward, since the box must be kept level to avoid damaging the membranes. Certainly this method would be extremely awkward for 1.5.times.4.5 m membranes.
Membranes have been shipped on cores, particularly cylindrical cores. They have been secured to the core with a masking tape such as ST-48 masking tape commercially available from Englewood. ST-48 masking tape has a strong adhesive. The final wrap of membrane around the core has been taped to itself with the same tape. It has proved difficult to remove this masking tape from the membrane without tearing the membrane, especially if the package has been accidentally dropped or otherwise mishandled. If no tape is used or masking tape with a weaker adhesive such as Englewood ST-24 masking tape is used, the package is unstable, the membrane tending to slide or "telescope" on itself along the length of the package, so the package is no longer cylindrical. This can lead to damage during shipping.
At times, enclosing film has been wrapped around the membrane roll and taped to itself and to the core. If this overwrap is applied too loosely, the membrane telescopes with resultant damage, while, if it is applied to the core with too much pressure against the membrane roll, the edges of the membrane tend to be damaged in compression.